The Toco Toucan is the largest and most recognizable toucan species, famous for its massive, colorful orange-yellow bill. The toucan’s beak looks heavy but is actually light. It is hollow, made of the protein keratin with thin rods of bone for support, and is similar in consistency to a hard sponge.
Photographed this bird at Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck, North Carolina, which features an astonishing variety of birds from around the world.
Toco Toucan Sideways
A bird is actually a type of animal, as all birds belong to the biological kingdom Animalia. Thus, we will post pictures of birds in animal portraits.
Scarlet macaws have very vibrant plumage. Their coloring is suited to life in Central and South American rainforests, with their green canopies and colorful fruits and flowers. The birds boast large, powerful beaks that easily crack nuts and seeds, while their dry, scaly tongues have a bone inside them that makes them an effective tool for tapping into fruits.
Macaw
American Oystercatchers are boldly patterned shorebirds with red-yellow eyes and a vivid red-orange bill. They survive almost exclusively on shellfish, including clams, oysters, and other saltwater mollusks. The American oystercatcher received its name for its unique ability to open oysters and other small shellfish. Using its knife-like bill, the bird quickly “stabs” the oyster to break open its shell to eat the soft inside.
One here at Sylvan Heights Bird Park in North Carolina.
American Oystercatcher
The Golden Eagle is one of the largest, fastest, nimblest raptors in North America. Lustrous gold feathers gleam on the back of its head and neck; a powerful beak and talons advertise its hunting prowess. Here is one in captivity at Carolina Raptor Center, North Carolina.
Golden Eagle Perched